I got lost in the strawberry field?

Don't I wish!  I haven't even been strawberry picking yet, and they are almost done!  My apologies for my unexpected hiatus from blogging...  I wish I had a legitimate reason for it but it was really a lot of things all bundled up together that resulted in sort of a mommy meltdown.  To sum it up without sounding too dismal, I am just completely overwhelmed lately.  Hubby is here, then gone, then back again and we never seem to know when until the day arrives.  The garden was looking dismal for awhile due to the 6-8 weeks of rain we had, I thought it would never get planted!  I wasn't prepared for the toll that early hot flashes and no sleep are taking on me either, I break out in a sweat every 15 minutes like clockwork which means no sleep, ugh!  I was really hoping I had a lot more time left where those symptoms are concerned but considering my history of infertility and resulting treatments and surgeries I am really not that surprised, just annoyed!  I am now leading 3 dens of Cub Scouts so that is really putting a bit of stress on as well, hubby was my co-leader but with his deployment schedule it was turning out to be a one-girl show.  What update would be complete without the house carnage?  Yes, we had a pipe burst which left 700 gallons of water under the house and an expensive repair - after hours of course.  Our tenant also moved out so we had to find another quickly and paint the whole rental and do needed repairs there which has sucked up every weekend in May.  Okay, I think that about covers it!  I have kind of felt that I'm losing all the hobbies that bring me joy one by one.  Why is it that the stuff that brings stress relief and happiness are the first to go when life gets crazy?  My mental well-being I think has suffered a little more that what I let on here but you get the gist of it without 10 pages of venting :)  

If my Reader is any indication of how busy running in circles I've been - I am behind 185 blog posts!  That's right, I haven't even been able to read your posts and I am so sorry if I have missed any big events in your lives - I plan on starting to catch up tonight after swim team practice.  I won't be commenting until I get caught up on my reading since I find myself getting overwhelmed easily these days, but I will definitely be checking in!

Our lovely azaleas are done here in Virginia Beach, but I really wanted to share...

they are always so beautiful here.

Loch went on his annual Math & Science Academy field trip to Washington D.C., this year they went to the National Air and Space Museum.  They got to ride on the double decker busses again.

I am finally starting to see some things harvested from the GARDEN!

Below, a mostly fresh picked lettuce BLT (with no T) !

Next evening was pizza night.  The lettuce basil is huge this year, that's spinach on the left with the basil on the right.  No tomatoes yet of course so we are using up the last of the sun dried tomatoes from last season.

Daddy passing on the pizza skills to Finn...

Spinach and basil & sundried tomato pizza ready for the oven -

Hubs & I had an early anniversary dinner out at a local seafood place this past weekend - of course the kids were with us LOL.

Here, Loch is explaining to us the Masonic symbols on currency and giving us a rundown on the Illuminati - huh?  Yep, that was his anniversary gift to us.  Who IS this kid? 

Softshell Crab is in season and it doesn't last long, only a couple of weeks so here is a glimpse of East Coast tradition -  nothing better than eating a sandwich that has legs sticking out of it!

So TODAY is our actual anniversary, and I hope I remember to tell him tonight as we pass each other as he comes home from work and I head out to swim practice - indeed 2 ships passing lately!

If any of you are out there and haven't unsubscribed yet, thank you!  :)